Matarbari project director sold numerous project supplies

Planning Adviser Prof Wahiduddin Mahmud today said the Matarbari project director had sold numerous project supplies before fleeing following the ouster of the Awami League government on August 5.

"I can say with certainty that the project director was involved in corruption," he said while speaking at a press briefing in Agargaon after a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec). 

"Like many university vice-chancellors, many project directors have resigned or fled after the change in government. Undoubtedly, they were involved in major corruption," he said.

Prof Mahmud linked the sudden departures as one of the reasons for the slow implementation of the annual development programme (ADP).

The ADP implementation rate in the July-October period fell by 31 percent year-on-year, according to data of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division.

The Ecnec meeting was chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Prof Mahmud explained that the interim government was now appointing new project directors, which takes time and for which there were delays in the overall progress.

The planning adviser emphasised that many of these resignations were rooted in personal corruption.

"We are trying to scrutinise new appointments to prevent a recurrence of such issues. I believe our appointees will not flee in the next elected government's term," he said.